.

Wherein those are answered who believe that the Filipinas.
should be abandoned, or traded to the crown of Portugal for Brazil.
The lack of knowledge regarding the Filipinas and the gains which may be obtained with them has been the cause for many of the servants of your Majesty, and other prominent persons, having a poor opinion of them.

Accordingly it has seemed to such persons more expedient to be rid of those islands, and to others that they should be exchanged with the crown of Portugal for Brazil.

All the reasons which they give for this may be reduced to five: The first is that there is a drain upon your Majesty's royal patrimony for their maintenance, and you derive no profit.

The second is to avoid the flow, through that method of maintaining them, of silver from Nueva Espana to Great China, by cutting off commerce with the latter country.